With nine BERT Core Team Departments, BERT is able to effectively respond to incidents involving bias across campus.
The Bias Education and Response Team (BERT) is a group of faculty and staff who serve as a means for students, faculty, and staff to report bias-related incidents.
“BERT provides an outlet for members of the Auburn family to report bias-related concerns to a knowledgeable group of faculty and staff who can ensure that the issue is addressed in a caring and compassionate manner that respects the privacy of individuals involved,” said BERT Core Team Co-Chair and Director of Residence Life Dr. Virginia Koch.
A bias-related incident involves acts, behaviors, conduct or communications against a person, motivated by the offender’s bias against age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression (Auburn Student Affairs Bias Education and Response Team).
“Many bias related interactions between individuals are preventable if people examine their personal biases and think before they speak or write something on social
A relatively new program, BERT, was proposed by a team of faculty, students, and staff in early summer 2016 in response to a 2016 study on campus climate and a 2013 Student Government Association resolution (PSSR# 13-118-05) that both reflected a need for methods and improved processes to evaluate and address bias-related incidents on Auburn’s campus.
Provost Boosinger approved BERT’s formation in summer 2016.
Reporting a suspected bias-related incident can be done through contacting a BERT member directly or submitting a form online.
“The Auburn family truly cares about others, and given the choice, people rarely want to treat one another
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